While we wait for the garden to spring into life, now’s the time to start thinking about attracting the right sort of visitors. We have put up a nut feeder, a seed one and also one containing fat balls. Although I’m impatient to see the first comers to my garden lunch party, I realize it will take a while for anyone flying past to notice these, let alone trust their contents.

This custom-built bird feeder courtesy of Stewart fits in snugly behind the ceanothus on the back wall. Let’s hope someone discovers it soon!